VALDOSTA, Ga. – Valdosta State junior utility softball player Madison VanAllen and junior men's golfer Alexander Nilehn were named Steel's Jewelry Blazer Athletes of the Week.
 
VanAllen, a native of Valdosta, Ga., helped lead VSU to a 4-1 record this past week and a sweep of Delta State.  She hit .714 for the week and slugged 1.571 with five hits in seven at bats, while scoring three runs with two home runs and four RBI.  She also had one stolen base.  
 
She also had success in the circle going 1-0 in three appearances with two starts.  She pitched 10.1 innings, allowing 12 hits, four earned runs, walked three and fanned five.  VanAllen pitched one complete game in the 12-1 win on Sunday to sweep the Lady Statesmen. 
 
Nilehn, a native of Goteborg, Sweden, continued his strong play this season on the men's golf team finishing tied for sixth at the First Federal Southeastern Collegiate last week at Kinderlou Golf Club in Valdosta.  Nilehn finished with a 6-under 210 on rounds of 71, 67 and 72 as he paced the team to an eighth-place finish at even par 864 in the 54-hole tournament with 16 teams.  
 
VSU defeated five ranked teams, including No. 2 Lee, No. 15 Saint Leo, No. 13 Nova Southeastern, No. 28 Lynn and No. 40 Palm Beach Atlantic.  With the nice finish from Nilehn, he moved to 77^th nationally and 26^th in the region and has three top ten finishes this season and one top three finish.  As a team, the Blazers moved to 61^st nationally.  
 
Steel's Jewelry Blazer Athletes of the Week
Oct. 20, 2025 – Eimy Negron Domenech (Volleyball) / Elad Sebbag (Men's Golf)
Oct. 27, 2025 – Kaitlyn Scherer (Women's Soccer) / Mark Robinson (Football)
Nov. 3, 2025 – Taylor Youmans (Women's Soccer) / Council Allen (Football)
Nov. 10, 2025 – Eimy Negron Domenech (Volleyball) / Corey Reddick, Jr. (Football)
Nov. 17, 2025 – Erin Whalen (Women's Basketball) / Matt Rolader (Football)
Nov. 24, 2025 – Aryana Hicks (Women's Basketball) / Blaise Wallace (Men's Basketball)
Dec. 1, 2025 – Aryana Hicks (Women's Basketball) / MJ Jones (Men's Basketball)
Dec. 8, 2025 – Alina Martin (Women's Basketball) / Samarion Bond (Men's Basketball)
Dec. 16, 2025 – Amaya Broadus (Women's Basketball) / Drew Mills (Men's Basketball)
Dec 22, 2025 –  Erin Whalen (Women's Basketball) / Drew Mills (Men's Basketball)
Jan. 5, 2026 – Erin Whalen (Women's Basketball) / Lucas Brown Jr. (Men's Basketball)
Jan. 12, 2026 – Erin Whalen (Women's Basketball) / Peter McKey (Men's Basketball)
Jan. 20, 2026 – Erin Whalen (Women's Basketball) / Drew Mills (Men's Basketball)
Jan. 26, 2026 – Erin Whalen (Women's Basketball) / Blaise Wallace (Men's Basketball)
Feb. 3, 2026 – Chardae Rumph (Women's Basketball) / Drew Mills (Men's Basketball)
Feb. 9, 2026 – Erin Whalen (Women's Basketball) / Peter McKey (Men's Basketball)
Feb. 17, 2026 – Charlotte Phillips (Softball) / Charlie Banks (Baseball)
Feb. 23, 2026 – Chloe Eichelberger (Softball) / Jack Butler (Baseball)
Mar. 9, 2026 – Saylor McNearney (Softball) / Drake LaRoche (Baseball)
Mar. 16, 2026 – Madison VanAllen (Softball) / Alexander Nilehn (Men's Golf)